Recommended story / episode length?

[themightyxloph]

Hi, everyone,

I couldn't find a thread discussing this (sorry if I overlooked it) so here goes.

I've started to write a story that has run away with me. (That happens sometimes). Right now I'm sitting at well over 33,500 words and the end is nowhere near.

So far I've only published two short stories (a few pages each on Lit). Which makes me wonder what the maximum recommended episode length (if there is such a thing) would be.

On the one hand I'm tempted to make this one single story because I've never liked those 57+ episode series that some authors indulge in. On the other hand I'd like to keep things down to readable and manageable size.

Suggestions anyone?

BTW It's a scifi submission so I'd rather not put it in the Novels and Novellas category.

Tnx!

 

[Handley_Page]

As a reader, I'd refer to see no more than 5 Lit pages (that's about 15 pages of Word).
Anything longer than that and my eyes glaze (maybe it's my glasses?), so I'd suggest dividing your marathon into suitable chunks.

It's just a personal observation, you understand.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Stephen King says 5000 words is about all he can keep in mind, 3000 words is my limit, and I'd rather play with 1500.

 

[hoo_hoo_boo]

Hi, everyone,

I couldn't find a thread discussing this (sorry if I overlooked it) so here goes.

I've started to write a story that has run away with me. (That happens sometimes). Right now I'm sitting at well over 33,500 words and the end is nowhere near.

So far I've only published two short stories (a few pages each on Lit). Which makes me wonder what the maximum recommended episode length (if there is such a thing) would be.

On the one hand I'm tempted to make this one single story because I've never liked those 57+ episode series that some authors indulge in. On the other hand I'd like to keep things down to readable and manageable size.

Suggestions anyone?

BTW It's a scifi submission so I'd rather not put it in the Novels and Novellas category.

Tnx!

I admit, I don't like reading long stories. I guess that long means boring. For me, any story that is boring is too long, whether it's a paragraph or "War and Peace". I hate the very proficient writers who decide to give an exhibition of their language use and lose the story in the mean time. Finding the story is an activity I don't enjoy. So, I conclude that ideal length is what ever the story sustains. No more and no less. A story isn't a product of its length. The length is the product of the story. I've learned that here.

 

[Darkniciad]

There's no length restriction on either single one submission stories or # of chapters in any category. So no worries about N&N. The only reason to put a story there is because you want it to be there.

( Most often because it's a long story that crosses a lot of sexual genres and there's no other theme such as Sci-Fi that can be used to encompass it )

There's no way to bookmark in the middle of a story here, so once you get over 5 pages or so ( you're already well past that ) you're best served to post the story in chapters in order to provide readers with breaks in the story so they can come back to it.

That's not to say that a single really long submission can't do extremely well. If your story is engaging enough, it will keep people in their seats or encourage them to find their place again if they have to leave and come back. The Sci-Fi & Fantasy category has a couple of stories by Paco Fear and hammingbird that can testify to that with their read/vote totals and high position in the all-time toplist.

IMO you get the best response by having the story complete before posting, then releasing chapters either once per week or twice per week.

There's fairly wide-ranging agreement amongst authors here that 3-Lit pages is a good average of the Lit reader's attention span. Again, that doesn't mean that there isn't a readership for longer or shorter stories/chapters. That is a sweet spot that seems to draw in the maximum number of readers and maintain them.

 

[themightyxloph]

OK. I hear what you're all saying, and it essentially tells me what I need to know. I'll choose the lesser of two evils (as I see it) and have lots of chapters.

Most often because it's a long story that crosses a lot of sexual genres and there's no other theme such as Sci-Fi that can be used to encompass it

Granted. But in this case the scifi setting is the prevalent theme. Yes, the protagonist is going through this theme while exploring multiple genres and trying not to die from sexual exhaustion <grin> but I feel the scifi setting is the most important aspect of this particular one.

OK. Let me get this monster finished (not before Xmas, probably) and get it out the door.

Tnx everyone for the insights!

 

[sr71plt]

Many readers seem to endure long segments here, but I think you start losing others when you go above three Lit pages (about 11,500 words).

 

[patientlee]

There's no length restriction on either single one submission stories or # of chapters in any category. So no worries about N&N. The only reason to put a story there is because you want it to be there.

( Most often because it's a long story that crosses a lot of sexual genres and there's no other theme such as Sci-Fi that can be used to encompass it )

There's no way to bookmark in the middle of a story here, so once you get over 5 pages or so ( you're already well past that ) you're best served to post the story in chapters in order to provide readers with breaks in the story so they can come back to it.

That's not to say that a single really long submission can't do extremely well. If your story is engaging enough, it will keep people in their seats or encourage them to find their place again if they have to leave and come back. The Sci-Fi & Fantasy category has a couple of stories by Paco Fear and hammingbird that can testify to that with their read/vote totals and high position in the all-time toplist.

IMO you get the best response by having the story complete before posting, then releasing chapters either once per week or twice per week.

There's fairly wide-ranging agreement amongst authors here that 3-Lit pages is a good average of the Lit reader's attention span. Again, that doesn't mean that there isn't a readership for longer or shorter stories/chapters. That is a sweet spot that seems to draw in the maximum number of readers and maintain them.

"Sweet spot" seems like a good way to describe it.

 

[Weird Harold]

I've started to write a story that has run away with me. (That happens sometimes). Right now I'm sitting at well over 33,500 words and the end is nowhere near.

A bit of advice, once given me, that might prove useful:

"Sit down at the keyboard and just let the words flow without censorship or editing. Then delete the two-thirds that are total crap and edit the rest into a coherent story."

As for the final length of your story, make it as long as it needs to be and not one word more or less. Worry about how to post it when you finish writing and editing.

My personal preference is serialized at seven to ten thousand words every other day; Mon-Wed-Fri or Tue-Thu-Sat. However, readers can bookmark lit pages to the nearest 3,500 words or so in their browser, so a single story that's worth reading isn't a problem at any length.

 

[lovecraft68]

What sticks with me with this debate-and it has been brought up many times-is there is no way to really know,

Unless you get some comments that say "man this was too long" then how do you know?

As I always point out. The #1 all time incest story on lit is 40+ pages.

Many of the top ones in that category surpass 6-8 meaning 20-30k

My feeling is that if you as the author can keep the reader engaged then length should not matter.

 

[patientlee]

What sticks with me with this debate-and it has been brought up many times-is there is no way to really know,

Unless you get some comments that say "man this was too long" then how do you know?

As I always point out. The #1 all time incest story on lit is 40+ pages.

Many of the top ones in that category surpass 6-8 meaning 20-30k

My feeling is that if you as the author can keep the reader engaged then length should not matter.

So what you're saying is it's the girth, not the length that's important.

 

[StrangeLife]

So what you're saying is it's the girth, not the length that's important.

Well put.


Size doesn't matter - it's all about how it's used. Even the biggest story won't excite anybody without a skilled writer behind it.

 

[lovecraft68]

Well put.


Size doesn't matter - it's all about how it's used. Even the biggest story won't excite anybody without a skilled writer behind it.

True and to the other side of that if an author is not that skilled that can show even in a short work.

 

[lovecraft68]

Decided to post this elswhere